Kanhaiya Kumar Speech - Azadi = Freedom = Libertad

Kanhaiya Kumar's speech is currently gaining attention across the world as mostly Indian expatriates working and living in all parts of the world witness the birth of a new voice for truth and justice in India. Kumar's speech is the most direct challenge for India's government, challenging it to uphold it own constitution and protect freedom of expression and democracy in the country.


His release from prison, the cause of the event celebrated in the video, came following protests begun last month against the government for imprisoning Kumar under sedition charges.

Kumar, who last year was elected president of the Student Union at JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) is also a member of the Indian Communist Party whose values for "socialism, secularism, and equality" are intoned in the speech.

"Azadi in India," freedom in India is what he wants. "Freedom from hunger, poverty, the caste system." - LISTEN.

If India's Ministers sought to silence a voice, they failed. Instead they have awakened India and the world to another insurgent voice from below calling for a new world that should already exist.    

If India won't have Kumar, we could use someone like him in Latin America.

 Finding a proper translation is difficult at this time since the speech is over 30 minutes in length, but NDTV has provided a translation in highlights here:

1. I want to thank everyone who has stood with JNU.
2. I want to thank the people sitting in Parliament deciding what is right and what is wrong.
3. I want thank their police and some media channels.
4. I have no hatred towards anybody, especially towards ABVP.
5. Because the ABVP we have on campus is more rational than the ABVP outside.
6. There will be no witch hunt against them.
7. We have no ill feelings towards ABVP because we truly believe in democracy and the Constitution.
8. We don't look at ABVP as the enemy, we look at them like the Opposition.
9. The best thing about how JNU has stood up in one voice was that it was spontaneous
10. They had all of it planned but we were spontaneous.
11. We stand up for all parts of Constitution - socialism, secularism and equality.
12. I don't want to comment on the case. It is sub judice.
13. I have many differences with the PM but I agree with his tweet - Satyameva Jayate - truth will triumph.
14. In railway stations you will find a guy who shows you magic tricks. We have some people like that in our country.
15. They say black money will come back, sabka saath sabka vikas, equality and all that.
16. Yes we Indians forget things too soon but this time the tamasha is too big. These jumlas wont be forgotten.
17. But what will happen if you speak up?
18. Their cyber-cell will release doctored videos and count condoms in your dustbins.
19. This is a planned attack to delegitimise the UGC protests, to prevent justice to Rohith Vemula.
20. But let me just say it is not easy to get admission in JNU neither it is easy to silence those in JNU.
21. You cannot dilute our struggle.
22. They say soldiers are dying on the borders - I salute them.
23. I want to ask the BJP lawmaker who said in Parliament that soldiers are dying on the border - is he your son or brother?
24. He is the son or father of the farmer who is dying of drought.
25. Do not create a false debate in this country.
26. Who is responsible for their deaths?
27. We will not rest till everybody has an equal right to prosperity.
28. We are not asking for freedom from India because India has not colonised anyone.
29. The man fighting on the border, perhaps he wanted to study but he couldn't get to JNU.
30. You want to silence one Rohith, today look how big that revolution has become.
31. I realized one thing in jail. We people of JNU speak in civilized voices, but we use heavy terminologies.
32. Perhaps it doesn't reach the common man. We have to establish communication with the common people.
33. We will bring Sabka Saath Sabka Vikaas for real.
34. Today the honourable PM was talking about Stalin, I say Modi ji speak about Hitler too sometimes. Or maybe Mussolini?
35. He speaks of Mann Ki Baat but doesn't listen.
36. What is happening today in the country is very dangerous.
37. It is not about one party, one news channel.
38. I have never told this to anybody but my family makes Rs. 3,000. Can you imagine somebody like me doing a PhD in any other college?
39. And they are calling anybody who stands up for this, traitor?
40. What kind of a self-proclaimed nationalism is this?
41. I want to remind our government that 69 per cent voted against you.
42. Just 31 per cent voted for you and some of them were caught up in your jumlas.
43. And today they are running a distraction campaign so that people don't ask them the real questions.
44. RSS mouthpiece The Organiser did a cover story on JNU.
45. If they can reason in a debate why JNU should be shut for four months, I will agree with them.
46. They want to suppress the voice of dissent but I want to tell them, you will never be able to do that.
47. Once again let's raise slogans for freedom - not from India, but within India.
48. Freedom from hunger, poverty, the caste system - all of that.